Religious groups most difficult to handle: Study

TNN|

Sep 24, 2008, 11.25 AM IST

0Comments

Adetailed analysis of the objectives of all terrorist groups showed that narrower a group���s objective , the more likely it would end up getting accommodated in the political process. Thus, it is more likely that groups fighting for specific policy changes or territorial claims will ultimately agree to negotiations with states.

Examples of this kind include the Irish Republican Army, which entered into a peace agreement after several decades of struggle, or the Italian terrorist groups that were granted leniency and gave up arms. However, groups espousing social revolutions or global change of political power may not be willing to sit across the table to hammer out a bargain as there is hardly any meeting ground between the two sides.

According to the study, a combination of coercive and political action by the government can force the terrorists to come around to negotiations . Government action can exact the biggest cost that a terrorist group can face ��� the withdrawal of popular support, without which the group���s activities cannot be sustained indefinitely.

A sobering conclusion drawn by the study is that religious groups are the most difficult to handle. While 62% of all terrorist groups have ended their activities, if you count only those that are propagating a religious cause, just 32% have been defeated. But, these religious groups are also less successful not a single such group achieved its objective , as opposed to 10% of all the groups put together.

The size of the group is also a major factor in determining its fate. Big groups, with a membership of 10,000 or more, tend to last longer than smaller groups of less than 1,000 members. The bigger groups also tend to be more successful than smaller ones.

The study concludes that a combination of factors is necessary to ensure a terrorist groups end, including policing, force, political dialogue and socio-economic interventions . A lop-sided emphasis on any one aspect can be detrimental. However , the exact nature of priorities for a government facing persistent terrorist activities needs to be worked out on a case-by-case basis.